Ianto opened his eyes and blearily looked at the bedside clock. He was briefly panicked to see that it was 9:15am, before remembering he had the day off. Following seventeen straight days without a break, Jack had insisted on it. After a long leisurely breakfast and an even longer shower, Ianto got dressed. It was an enormous relief to wear something other than a suit for once. Not that he'd ever been obliged to wear the suit. Owen never bothered, after all. It was simply something he'd always done, and these days it was because Jack liked it. He settled for black jeans, green t-shirt and a grey shirt. As he
was dressing, Ianto tried to decide what to do with his day. Beyond visiting his Great-Uncle, whom he'd neglected of late, he couldn't come up with anything. He would take the day as it came. A quick glance out of the window told him that it was a bright, fine day, so he put on his sunglasses and left the flat.

As it was fine, Ianto chose to walk to the retirement home in which his Great-Uncle resided. It would only take him half an hour, if he cut through the park. He felt incredibly happy. The simple act of being out in the light lifted his spirits immensely. Not having to worry about aliens for a time was also a blessing. Ianto enjoyed working at Torchwood very much, but the intensity of it all sometimes got to him. When he did get a chance to be away from the hub, it was almost soul cleansing.

Upon arriving at the retirement home, Ianto found his Great-Uncle in the recreation room, beating a rival at chess. The old man noted Ianto's arrival but waited to finish his game before saying anything.

"Bore da, Ianto," he said finally. "Where have you been?"

"I've been busy Uncle Huw." Ianto replied. "Shwd wyt ti?"

"Da iawn, diolch. So, you've been too busy to visit an elderly relative. I suppose you're also too busy for a game."

Ianto sat opposite his Uncle and helped him reset the game board. Three and a half minutes later, Uncle Huw checkmated him. Ianto was a very clever man, but he'd never yet been able to beat his Uncle at chess.

"Another?"

"No thanks, Uncle," Ianto replied, with a laugh, "One humiliation is enough for me."

Ianto spent another hour with Uncle Huw, discussing everything and nothing, before being kicked out. The old man apparently had a lunch date with a lady friend and didn't want Ianto 'cramping his style.'
At the mention of lunch, Ianto's own stomach rumbled. He remembered a little cafe around the corner from the home. A friend, whom he hadn't seen for a while worked there. It didn't take him long to get there and, as he pushed open the door, he could see Cerys behind the counter. She looked up at the sound of the door jangle and her face lit up.

"Iawn Cariad," she said to him. "Long time no see."

Ianto retuned her smile and sat down at her invitation. Cerys told her colleague she was taking a break, after first organising a cup of tea and a sandwich for Ianto.

"Are you still working at the tourist office in the bay?" Cerys asked.

"Erm...Yeah." Ianto replied.

"It must keep you busy. Haven't seen you around for a few weeks."

Ianto chewed his sandwich slowly to give him time to come up with a feasible excuse. Telling her there'd been a Weevil surge wouldn't be a great idea.

"We've been fairly busy," he told her, "Ever since they started filming that new science fiction series in Cardiff."

Whilst it was true there had been a boost in tourism, none of it ever came near Ianto's little office.

"Got a girlfriend yet?" Cerys asked and laughed at the look of indecision which crossed Ianto's face.

"You seem unsure."

"I..I..erm...I'm seeing someone," he stuttered, "Sort of."

"Sort of? What do you mean?"

Ianto had no idea how to tell her about Jack. The fact he was having a sexual relationship with a man would come as a hell of a shock to his friends. He decided not to disclose all. Instead, he told Cerys he was enjoying a strange relationship, but didn't know where it was headed.

"Nevermind Love," Cerys comforted him, "She'll decide what she wants soon enough."

"Erm...yeah." agreed Ianto, although he was sure Jack wouldn't be too pleased at being described as a she. He desperately wanted to tell Cerys about Jack. How he helped him cope with the dark times. How he gave him the best sex he'd ever experienced. And, how he was falling in love with the captain. But, he couldn't. Not yet.

Ianto stared out at the slow moving traffic, and was shocked when the Torchwood SUV pulled up outside. He grabbed a menu and held it over his face as Owen jumped out of the vehicle and came into the cafe.

"Two bacon sandwiches, Love." The medic bellowed before he'd even reached the counter.

Thankfully, the sandwiches didn't take long and Owen soon left. Tentatively, Ianto peered over the menu as the SUV drove off.

"Friend of yours?" Cerys queried.

"Just someone I don't want to see today."

What were the odds? There must be hundreds of cafes in Cardiff and Owen had managed to choose this one.

"What are you plans for tonight, Ianto?"

"I don't have anything on," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Great."

She told him that a few of them were meeting at a club that night, and Ianto was welcome to join them. Cerys even said he could bring his girlfriend.

"I'll be there."

"Okay, see you at about 8."

Ianto toyed with the idea of calling Jack and inviting him out, but decided not to. He really wasn't ready to admit his relationship yet. Of course, Owen, Tosh and Gwen knew, but they didn't count. Anyway, he fancied spending time with people who knew nothing of aliens and the rift. People who had no idea of what was hidden beneath Cardiff. On a whim, Ianto headed off to buy some new clothes. It had been a while since he'd been on a good night out, and he felt that a new outfit was called for. One of the mates he was meeting that night worked in a clothes store. He could probably wangle Pete's staff discount if he asked nicely.

"Ianto!"

Pete strode across the shop floor with his right hand outstretched. Ianto took the proffered hand and shook it warmly.

"I got a text from Cerys," Pete told him. "She says you're joining us tonight."

"That's right," Ianto confirmed, "so I thought I would take advantage of your staff discount and get some new stuff."

"Feel free."

Twenty minutes later, Ianto had been furnished with black combat trousers, a deep red shirt and red Chuck Taylor All-stars. He bade farewell to Pete and made his way home. Ianto had a few hours before he had to leave the house again, so he killed them watching afternoon television. It was nice to get drawn into a world where thinking wasn't necessary. He quite happily shut down his brain and spent a happy afternoon doing nothing.

At 8:15pm, Ianto walked into the club. He scanned the room and quickly located his friends. As well as Cerys and Pete, he could also see Sian, Vicky and Ewan. Ianto waved to them all and indicated he would join them in a moment. First, he went to the bar and bought himself a pint. He grinned broadly in response to the great welcome he received. Pete and Ewan shook his hand, whilst the three women kissed him on the cheek. Before he knew what was happening, Vicky and Sian had dragged Ianto onto the dance floor, forcing him to abandon his pint with Ewan. He stayed on the dance floor for over half an hour, revelling in the freedom dancing seemed to bring. Over in a dark corner, unseen by the Welshman, Jack Harkness stood. He was watching his colleague with amusement. Seeing Ianto so happy and carefree made him feel happier than he thought possible. Jack had seen Ianto entering the club, completely by chance, and curiosity had got the better off him. He'd followed the younger man in, just to see who he was meeting. Owen had mentioned that he'd seen Ianto trying to hide form him in a cafe earlier. He'd been talking to a girl. The captain had felt a minute pang of jealousy at this news. He slipped away silently, before he was discovered.

* * * * * * * * * *

Despite suffering from a hangover of almost apocalyptic proportions, and hoping the world would end just to stop the headache, Ianto was in the hub by 7am the next morning.

"Good morning Ianto." Jack called as he emerged from his office.

"Morning." replied Ianto quietly.

"Did you do much yesterday?"

"Not really. I visited my Great-Uncle Huw and met up with a few friends. A fairly quiet day really."

The fact that Ianto looked like death, belied his statement of a quiet day.

"Did I miss much?" He asked Jack.

"Two Weevil sightings and a Breation Cruiser, which was lost."

"Same old, same old then"

The two men laughed before starting on another ordinary Torchwood day.

Finis

Bore da. - Good Morning.
Shwd wyt ti? - How are you?
Da iawn, diolch. - Very well, thank you.
Iawn Cariad. - Alright Sweetheart.